The division within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party came to light in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday after 25 of the party’s 47 MLAs, allied with the SP Velumani faction, extended their support to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party during the floor test.
This development came to light during the no-confidence process in the House when Velumani, who is currently leading a rival faction within the party, rose to speak, causing an uproar in the House. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami objected and urged JCD chief Prabhakar not to allow Velumani to speak.
Responding to Palaniswami’s objection, Prabhakar said he was allowing the members to speak under his powers and asked the AIADMK chief to take his seat.
TVK formally proved its majority in the Assembly on Wednesday with the support of 144 MLAs, including the support of 25 AIADMK legislators allied with C.Ve. Shanmugam and S.P. Velumani.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlikar had directed the TVK government to prove its majority on or before May 13.
TVK, which emerged victorious with 108 seats in the Assembly elections, received support from the Congress, Left parties, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Indian Muslim League (IUML), taking its tally to 120 MLAs and comfortably crossing the required majority mark of 117 seats to form the government.
The AIADMK, which lost the Assembly elections, won 47 seats. However, speculation about internal divisions intensified after reports emerged that a section of party legislators were inclined to support the TVK government.
Several AIADMK MLAs were also lodged at a private resort between May 5 and 9 on the instructions of the party leadership. On May 7, Palaniswami held a closed-door meeting with lawmakers.
Ahead of the vote of confidence on May 12, former AIADMK minister C.Ve. Shanmugam declared his support for TVK during the confidence motion and claimed that he has the support of a “majority” of AIADMK MLAs.
